Container



May 22, 1934. w. c. MILLS vCON'I'AIINER Filed oct. 15, 19,52

Patented May 22, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE coNTalNEa Wallace c. Mills, Rockford, nl., assigner to .1.1.. Clark Manufacturing Co., Rockford, Ill., a corporation of Illinois Application october 13, 1932, serial lNo. 637,571

15 claims. (c1. 221-11) provision for a `pouring spout adapted for use in conjunction with the pouring opening when the slide is in a position to cover the sitter holes.

and thereby facilitate the removal of the contents of the can by pouring.

A further object is to provide a container equipped with a sifter slide and a pivotal pour- I ing spout cooperating in a novel and electual manner to permit the contents of the containerv to be removed by .sifting or pouring selectively, as well as to close both sifter and pouring open- Another object is to provide a container hav- .ing a sifter slide with sifting and non-sifting positions, and a swingable pouring spout adapted to be lockedain closed position by the slide when in either of said positions..

Still another object is to provide a' pivotal at; pourlng spout capable of being quickly and easily :assembled and mounted in a manner such as to avoid interference with the sifting slide.

The objects of the invention thus generally stated .together with other and ancillary advantages,.'are attained by the-construction and arfrangelnent illustrated in the accompanying drawing-forming part hereof in which Figure l is a perspective viewof my improved containerA and illustrating the pouring spout in operative position. Fig.^ 2' is a fragmentary perspective view illustrating the construction of the spout and the method of hinging the same, the spout being shown in detached relation to its support. y

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary perspective view showing the spout assembled onv its support and in partially openposition. l

Fig. 4 is a top plan view of the container with one end of the sifter slide broken away to show. the hinged end of the spout in its closed position.v

Fig. 5is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken in theplane of line 5-5 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary perspective view showing a modied form of spout with the latter in open position. y

The container comprises, in the embodiment illustrated, a body 7 having an upper end vor top Wall comprising a top plate 8 secured to the upper edge of the body 'in any suitable way as by means of a seam 9. The top plate 8 is apertured to provide a relatively large opening oi! oval shape, defined by .an upstanding rib 10 having a down-turned friction flange 11. Into this opening is frictionally iitted a removable cover, generally designated 12, to complete the top wall. The cover 12V comprises a iiat plate 13 with a vertical side ilange 14 adapted to engage with theilange 11 of the top plate. The-upper edge of this ange 14 terminates in a lateral bead 14a in the form of an inwardly opening fold, .65

which bead forms a stop on the cover for engagement with the rib 10 Aon the top plate.

The cover plate 13 is provided with a series of sifter holes 15 and a pouring hole 16; and mounted to slide upon the plate 13 extriorly thereof, 70 is a slide plate 1'7 having a series of sifter holes 18 and a pouring hole 19. This plate is retained in positionupon the cover plate 13 by means vof a pair of laterally extending g'uide flanges or tongues 20 on opposite sides of the slide, engag- -75 ing in channel-shaped guides 21 formed at the upper edge of the flange 14 of the cover at opposite sides thereof. The guide flanges 20 are formed at the upper edge of an upstanding flange 22 on the slide plate 17; and the channel shaped 80 guides 21 are formed by raising the upper part of the fold which forms the bead 14i on the cover plate 13, as indicated at 23.

The pouring opening 16 in the top plate is in the' form of an elongated slot, and mounted on 8 5 the top plate forswinging movement through said slot is a pouring spout generally designated 24. This spout comprises an end wall or closure plate 25 and two segmental side walls 26. One end of the wall 25 is extended to form a linger 9o piece 27, and at the other end is formed a transverse slot 28 (Fig. 2) adapted to Vreceive a tongue 29 projecting inwardly from one end of the slot 16. The tongue is made of a width somewhat less than the slot so as to form notches 16 (Fig. 95 4) at each side of the tongue. One edge 30 of the slot 28 constitutes a bearing edge which engages with an abutment 31 'formed by a boss struck up from the tongue 29, the parts being Imaintained in this position by the arcuate edges 32 of .the side walls 26 of the spout engaging with the opposite end of the slot 16 (Fig. 3). Thus the spout is adapted to swing on an axis delined by the edge 30 of the slot and th'e abut-ment 31.

Upward swinging movement of the spout is limited by triangular lugs 33 formed on and projecting outwardly from the lower corners of the side walls 26; and to permit of the easy assembling of the spout in the top plate 13, these lugs 33 are beveled as indicated at 34. Thus. in as- 110 lio sembling the spout, it is only necessary to pass the slot 28 therein over the tongue 29 and then force the side walls 26 inwardly until the lugs 33 move past the side edges of the slot 16, the beveled surfaces 34 of the lugs engaging with said side edges of the slot 16 with a cam action. Thisy avoids any undue springing of the metal of the side walls 26 as might occur if they were forced inwardly by the fingers suiciently to clear the lugs 33.

In as much as the slide plate 17 must pass over fthe spout in its closed position, it is desirable that its end wall 25 be capable of lying substantially iiush with the top plate 13. To this end, the portion of the end wall 25 of the spout which extends beyond the slot 28 is in the present instance offset downwardly a distance corresponding to the thickness of the metal of the top plate 13 which, in the case of small containers of this character, is Avery thin. Such downward offsetting of the metal of the end wall of the spout is eiectually accomplished by extending the ends of the slot 28 downwardly a short distance into the side walls 26 and then crimping or wrinkling the extreme end portion of the end wall as shown at 35 with a resulting depression thereof. The downwardly offset portion thus formed engages with the underside of the tongue 29 so as to hold the hinged end of the spout against upward or outward movement.

As above indicated, the slide plate 17 overlies the spout 24 when in its closed position, and in order to permit the spout to be swung upwardly into its open position, the slide plate has its pouring opening 19 made of a size and shape corresponding to the slot 16 in the top plate. Thus, when the slide is moved to a position such a's to carry the pouring openings 16 and 19 into registry, the spout may be swung upwardly by grasping its finger piece 27. The latter, it will be observed, is bent at a slight angle to the end wall 25 of the spout so that in the closed position thereof, its free end projects upwardly to a point just `above the upper surface of the slide plate (Figs. 3 and 4). Hence, in the movement of the slide into pouring position, the finger piece rides upwardly upon the slide into a position in which it may be readily grasped by the iinger and lifted to carry the spout into its open or operative position.

As shown in Fig. 5, the slide plate 17 is in an intermediate or shipping position, for in this relation of the parts, the sifter openings are closed and the pouring spout is in its closed position. The spout is locked in this position by reason of the fact that the pouring opening 19 in the slide is out of registry with the opening 16 in the top plate so that one extreme end portion of the slide overlies the hinged end portion of the spout and locks it against upward swinging movement.

The pouring position of the slide is shown in Fig. 1, it having been moved to the extreme left from the intermediate position shown in Fig. 5.

In this position, the sifter openings remain closed but the pouring openings are in registry so that the spout may be swung upwardly into its operative position as shown, when it serves to lock the slide in its non-sifting position. On the other hand, movement of the slide to the extreme opposite position (Fig. 4) carries the sifter `openings 15 and 18 into registry while the pouring spout is locked by the overlying end portion of the slide;

In order that such overlying end portion of recente the slide shall be capable of holding the spout downwardly more efiectually, the end wall 25 of the spout may, if desired, be formed with a raised boss 37 spaced somewhat from its hinging edge 30. The overlying end portion of the slide engaging with this boss at a point odset from the hinging axis of the spout, exerts a downward pressure upon the spoutand thus holds it in its closed position.

It will be observed that I have edectually combined a pouring spout of the pivotal or swinging type with a sifter slide without in any way interfering with the movements of the slide for covering and uncovering the sifter openings. By the particular hinge construction employed for the spout, free movement of the slide thereover is assured. In this latter connection, the boss forming the hinge abutment 31 serves the additional function of raising the corresponding end of the slide platel above the hinge edge 28 of the spout, thus avoiding any possible restriction in the movement of the slide from the pouring position to the intermediate or sifting positions.

In Fig. 6, I have shown a modied form of spout which may be employed. In this instance, the spout is composed of two arcuate plates 38 and l39 disposed at an angle to each other to form the walls of the spout. The plate 38 constitutes the topwall or closure plate and is slotted to receive a downwardly offset tongue 298. The other plate 39 constitutes a segmental side wall having an arcuate edge 40 for engagement with one edge of the triangularly shaped pouring opening 41. A lug 42 on the plate 39 serves to limit the upward swinging movement of the spout and in the closed position thereof, the curved edge of the plate 38 is adapted to overlap slightly the corresponding edge of the opening.

I claim as my invention:

1. A container ofthe character set forth having an opening in one wall for the discharge of the contents of the container, a pouring spout mounted for swinging movement through said opening and adapted in one position of the spout to close said opening, and a slide mounted on said wall of the container and adapted to lock the spout in closed position, said container having sifter openings in said wall separate from the spout opening and also controlled by said slide.

2. A container of the character set forth having an opening in one wall for thedischarge of the contents of the container, a pouring spout mounted for movement through said opening and adapted in one position of the spout to close said opening, and a slide mounted on` said wall of the container and adapted to lock the spout in closed position, said Wall of the container and said slide having two sets of sifter openings separate from the spout opening and adapted to be carried into and out of registry in the movements of the slide.

3. A container of the character set forth having an opening in one wall for the discharge of the contents of the container, a pouring spoutv mounted for movement through said opening and adapted in one position to close said opening and in another position to permit the discharge of the contents of the container lthrough the spout, and sifter means including a plate movably mounted on said wall of the container indeing a pouring openingan'd'sifter openings in one wall thereof, means including a plate slidably mounted on said wall andl operable to open or close said sifter openings, and a pouring spout mounted on said wall in the path of said plate and swingable through said pouring opening in oneposition of said plate. e

5. A container of the character set forth hav- 'ing an 'opening in one wall for the discharge of the contents of the container by pouring, a pour'- ing spout mounted for movement through said opening and adapted in one position to close said opening and in another position to permit the discharge of the contents of the container through the spout, said Wall of the container having a set of sifter openings therein, and a slide also having sifter openings therein and operable to carry said sifter openings into and out of registry with the sifter openings in said wall of the container, said spout being positioned in the path ofl said' slide and being movable in -one position of said slide.

6. A container of the character set forth having an opening in one wall for the discharge of the contents of the container by pouring, a pouring spout mounted for movement through said opening and adapted in one position to close said opening and in another position to permit the discharge of the contents of the container through the spout, said wall of the container having a set 'of sifter openings therein and a slide having a second set of sifter openings adapted in the movements of the slide to be carried into and out of registry with the sifter openings in said wall of the container, said slide having a portion operating in the sifting position thereof to lock said spout in its closed position.

7. A container of the character set forth having an opening in one wall for the discharge of the contents of the container by pouring, a pouring spout mounted for swinging movement through said opening and adapted in one position to close said opening and in another position to permit the discharge of the contents of the container through the spout,'said wall of the container having a set of sifter openings therein and a slide having a second set of sifter openings adapted in the movements of the slide to be carried into and sition.

out of registry with the sifter openings in said wall of the container, said slide-having a part operating in both the sifting and non-sifting positions thereof to lock said spout in its closedv position. Y

' 8. A container `of the character set forth having an opening in one wall for the discharge of the contents of the container by pouring, a. pouring spout mounted for` movement through saidV opening and adapted in one position to close said opening and in another position to permit the discharge of the contents of the container throughthe ,spout, said Wall of the container having a set of sifter openings therein and aslide having a second set of sifter openings adapted in the movements of the slide to be carried into and out of registry with the sifter openings in saidwall of the container, said slide having anl intermediate-position in ,which it is operative to close said sifter openings and to lock'said spout in closed position, and two end positions in one of which the slide is operative to lock the spout in closed position and in the other of which the slide is operative to permit the swinging move- 9. A container of the character set forth having an opening in one wallfor the discharge of .the contents of the container by pouring, a pour-1 nmounted on said wall independently of said spout for sliding movement over said closure plate of the spout.

10. A container of the character set forth having a slot in one wall for the discharge of the contents of the container by pouring, a tongue projecting into said slot at one end thereof, and a pouring spout having an end wall 'and an arcuate depending side wall, said end wall having a bearing edge adapted to engage withnsaid tongue to form a hinging axis for the spout with said arcuate side wall of the spout engaging with the end of the slot opposite said tongue, and said tongue having an abutment thereon for engagement by said bearing edge of the spout cooperating with the engagement of the arcuate side wall and the opposite end of the slot to hold the bearing edgeini/place throughout the movement of the spout. .l

11. A container of the character set forth having an opening therein permitting the discharge of the contents of the container by pouring, a tongue projecting into said opening, and a pouring'spout having a closure plate and two side plates, said closure plate having a slot therein to receive said tongue and said side plates having arcuate edges adapted to engage slidably with the end of the opening opposite said tongue, the portion of thefclosure plate underlying said tongue in the closed position of the spout being offset inwardly and crimped to take up the excess metal caused by said offset,

12. A container of the character set forth having an opening in one wall permitting the discharge of the contents of the container by pouring, a tongue projecting into said opening at one end thereof, a pouring spout having a closure plate with a bearing edge at one end overlying the tongue and an outwardly projecting boss adjacent said end, said tongue having a projection thereon forming an abutment with which said bearing edge engages, and an overlying sifter slide having an opening therein movable into and out of registering relation with the opening in -said wall of the container to permit movement of ving an opening in one' Wall permitting'the`discharge of the contents of the container by pouring, a tongue projecting into Asaid opening at one end thereof, a pouring spout having a closure plate With a bearing edge ,at one end overlying the tongue, said tongue having a projection thereon forming anabutment with which said bearing edge engages, anda slide overlying said Wall and having an opening therein movable into and out of registering relation with the opening in said wall of `the container to permit movement of said spout, and said closure plate having its end portion opposite said bearing edge extended at a, slight angle'so' as to receive said slide;

14. A container of the character set forth having a sifter slide and afpivotal" pouring spout position of the spout to engage laterally of the slot with the underside of said wall at' the end of said slot opposite said pivotal support, said lugs being beveled laterally at their outer ends to provide cam surfaces adapted to engage opposite side edges of the slot to cause the side plates to yield laterally as an incident to the application tothe side plates oi an inward torce when assembling the spout.

WALLACE MILLS.

ias 

